Politics

[Cheese]

1 minute ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

Except the justification for scrapping the policy is that it isn't currently financially viable, which is a separate justification to one of entitlement or need

And if eligibility is tied to pension credit, as it is, it will mean many pensioners who do need it won't receive it

Maybe they should have worked harder and saved more, which is what young working people who also can't afford their winter fuel bills are told. 🤷‍♂️

[Lt. Aldo Raine]

2 minutes ago, Cheese said:

Maybe they should have worked harder and saved more, which is what young working people who also can't afford their winter fuel bills are told. 🤷‍♂️

I should really have realised you support it out of spite

[Cheese]

Just now, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

I should really have realised you support it out of spite

Not in the slightest. If it was up to me, everyone would get free heating, regardless of age. But I don't have to balance the books after 14 years of grotesque political decisions that only benefitted people who voted a certain way.

[Lt. Aldo Raine]

5 minutes ago, Cheese said:

Not in the slightest. If it was up to me, everyone would get free heating, regardless of age. But I don't have to balance the books after 14 years of grotesque political decisions that only benefitted people who voted a certain way.

Revenge is a dish best served cold after all

[Cheese]

Just now, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

Revenge is a dish best served cold after all

So benefits shouldn't be means tested, and everyone should get the same financial assistance whether they need it or not?

[Ani]

The only question about removing the heating allowance from some pensioners is if they have picked the right level.

I think they have gone too low, but as mentioned previously I think they have used something that is easy to identify than any other reason .

No idea why people living abroad still get it. 

[BobyBrno]

On 02/09/2024 at 20:13, Cheese said:

Still fighting the good fight for the people.

What a guy.😊

 

[DirtySanchez]

13 minutes ago, Ani said:

No idea why people living abroad still get it. 

Think it was originally an EU ruling so no reason to get rid now 

[Lt. Aldo Raine]

20 minutes ago, Ani said:

The only question about removing the heating allowance from some pensioners is if they have picked the right level.

I think they have gone too low, but as mentioned previously I think they have used something that is easy to identify than any other reason .

No idea why people living abroad still get it. 

They need to either review the pension credit eligibility requirement or find an alternative measurement 

[royal white]

1 hour ago, Cheese said:

So benefits shouldn't be means tested, and everyone should get the same financial assistance whether they need it or not?

That Sounds like what happens in London with the free school meals. 

[RoadRunnerFan]

1 hour ago, Cheese said:

Not in the slightest. If it was up to me, everyone would get free heating, regardless of age. But I don't have to balance the books after 14 years of grotesque political decisions that only benefitted people who voted a certain way.

Spot on.

Those who are contrasting this year's public sector pay awards against the winter fuel allowance need to take into account 14 years of below inflation pay awards for many of these workers versus 14 years of the triple lock.

We're in this together aren't we?

Is it a political choice? Yes

Is tying it to Pension Credit ideal? No

Is tying it to pension credit the cheapest and quickest way to means test? Deffo

[Zico]

41 minutes ago, Ani said:

 

No idea why people living abroad still get it. 

That seems a bit bollocks to me

Especially if it's a warmer country 

[Ani]

49 minutes ago, DirtySanchez said:

Think it was originally an EU ruling so no reason to get rid now 

It is tied into the Brexit deal that benefits could not be cut to existing expats, it is crazy that we are tied into paying benefits to some people whilst more needy are excluded. 

[Ani]

27 minutes ago, RoadRunnerFan said:

Spot on.

Those who are contrasting this year's public sector pay awards against the winter fuel allowance need to take into account 14 years of below inflation pay awards for many of these workers versus 14 years of the triple lock.

We're in this together aren't we?

Is it a political choice? Yes

Is tying it to Pension Credit ideal? No

Is tying it to pension credit the cheapest and quickest way to means test? Deffo

I basically agree with your points, but the noise and hassle this is attracting is eroding away at the 'cheapest and quickest' final point. 

[RoadRunnerFan]

2 minutes ago, Ani said:

I basically agree with your points, but the noise and hassle this is attracting is eroding away at the 'cheapest and quickest' final point. 

It's refreshing to see a decision taken for the practicalities rather than the politics.

[gonzo]

Why don't we just reduce the cost of fuel so we don't need to give the old folks an allowance in the first place?

 

[Not in Crawley]

2 hours ago, Cheese said:

So benefits shouldn't be means tested, and everyone should get the same financial assistance whether they need it or not?

It's interesting that those that say 'it's a political decision' don't realise, yes of course it is. 

Am I on my own MPs side on this? No, but I understand her constituency is massively skewed to older people in Canterbury/Whitstable/Herne Bay. My neighbours are 80 odd on both sides - live in 5 bed houses and can't actually keep them up (I'm mowing more lawns than Jon Holmes)

I do wonder if people get that MPs have to put their constituency first over this debate. And it's not a massive debate- it's just it's that live wire between transition of means testing or not.

Personally I'm glad the Labour Party are grasping certain nettles, some have said it'll not save much but then most of the journalistic choices of economic division don't either (see cultural funding especially) 

Housing is the big issue, heating would fall away if we not only built more houses but built the right sort of houses so those people who'd live in a community could downsize as they got older and could stay in the community they call home and free up houses, rather developers buying land, knocking down a 3 bed with a big garden and erecting a 5/6 bed to resell.

We live in a three bed - the size of the garden is ridiculous - massive cabin, shed etc and it's still fucking daft size.

 Housing is the real issue in this country, I hope the Labour Party work on this more in the next 4 years.

[Zico]

Can we not just give them more jumpers? 

Worked when I was a student, we never put the heating on, just added extra layers

[Not in Crawley]

1 minute ago, Zico said:

Can we not just give them more jumpers? 

Worked when I was a student, we never put the heating on, just added extra layers

I know you're being flippant but seeing my dad last weekend (and he was always a 6ft 3 tall and broad bloke) at nearly 80 he just doesn't have the muscle or fat as a younger man (even in his 70s) 

Yeah he's cold - even in summer.

[Cheese]

29 minutes ago, Not in Crawley said:

It's interesting that those that say 'it's a political decision' don't realise, yes of course it is. 

Am I on my own MPs side on this? No, but I understand her constituency is massively skewed to older people in Canterbury/Whitstable/Herne Bay. My neighbours are 80 odd on both sides - live in 5 bed houses and can't actually keep them up (I'm mowing more lawns than Jon Holmes)

I do wonder if people get that MPs have to put their constituency first over this debate. And it's not a massive debate- it's just it's that live wire between transition of means testing or not.

Personally I'm glad the Labour Party are grasping certain nettles, some have said it'll not save much but then most of the journalistic choices of economic division don't either (see cultural funding especially) 

Housing is the big issue, heating would fall away if we not only built more houses but built the right sort of houses so those people who'd live in a community could downsize as they got older and could stay in the community they call home and free up houses, rather developers buying land, knocking down a 3 bed with a big garden and erecting a 5/6 bed to resell.

We live in a three bed - the size of the garden is ridiculous - massive cabin, shed etc and it's still fucking daft size.

 Housing is the real issue in this country, I hope the Labour Party work on this more in the next 4 years.

Saw a stat the other day that said there are ~100,000 "Air BnB" properties in London alone. Then you look at the poverty-wealth divide and how it's rapidly widened over the last decade or so.... it's clear where all the money has gone, and not a single penny has "trickled down".

[Lt. Aldo Raine]

20 minutes ago, Not in Crawley said:

It's interesting that those that say 'it's a political decision' don't realise, yes of course it is. 

The reason that point was made was because the Government themselves are at pains to present it as an unavoidable fiscal necessity - "neccessary to stabilise the economy", "we'd have seen a run on the pound" - rather than a political decision

[Lt. Aldo Raine]

Which is their prerogative, but be up front about it

[Not in Crawley]

18 minutes ago, Cheese said:

Saw a stat the other day that said there are ~100,000 "Air BnB" properties in London alone. Then you look at the poverty-wealth divide and how it's rapidly widened over the last decade or so.... it's clear where all the money has gone, and not a single penny has "trickled down".

It's just beyond silly now. Where I have moved there is a massive campaign because a huge farm has sold their land to a property developer.

It's lovely, it's near where I now live and it's a bucolic ideal of Britain.

What some people in the village don't realise it wasn't actually a village until the 1970s when houses were built to house families. Now these people are complaining their grandchildren can't live in Whitstable because house prices are beyond their reach and the public transport is poor (which it is)

Not realising there is one school in whitstable, most children go to school in Canterbury and which the new houses there will be increased infrastructure, no building on green belt and better housing for younger people.

There isn't one immigrant in our village unless you count us DfL's and as I say on our lane it's all retired folks in massive houses that they just can't look after anymore.

Blair came into power on Education, Education, Education...now it should be Housing, Housing, Housing.

Earning as a couple over 180k a year shouldn't mean renting a house for over 2k a month but it does. And we're not alone in this insane situation.

[athywhite1958]

7 hours ago, BobyBrno said:

The cynic in you is probably correct. Most reasonable people understand that everyone, if they are lucky, will one day be a pensioner. Protecting and even improving pensions is in everyone’s interest. 

Actually getting to pension age is a privilege not granted to everybody, work for 50+ years then pass away saving the government millions, I think those that do make it should be afforded certain benefits because they have worked and paid tax for it

[Nowack]

3 hours ago, Cheese said:

So benefits shouldn't be means tested, and everyone should get the same financial assistance whether they need it or not?

Universal basic income: What it is and why people will be given free money for doing nothing | UK News | Sky News

Possibly.